Sliding partition containing rotatable louvres

ABSTRACT

A partition assembly comprises a number of louver blades which can be opened and closed by activating means in the form of a push rod which is concealed with the partition.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to a sliding partition (such as a sliding door orwindow) containing rotatable louvres and especially relates to a slidingpartition which is compact in design and which can slide from an open toa closed position irrespective of whether the louvres are in an open orclosed position.

BACKGROUND ART

Sliding partitions such as sliding doors or windows are typicallymounted in a lower and/or upper track. The track is generally of a Ushaped channel section to guide the sliding partition between its openand closed positions.

One type of sliding door arrangement has the door sliding into a cavitywall when moved to its open position. Another type of sliding doorassembly has the door sliding past a wall when moving to its openposition. A yet further type of sliding door assembly has the slidingdoor sliding past a fixed door or window when moved between its open andclosed positions.

In each of the above constructions, there is a requirement to ensurethat the door can properly slide without striking the walls of thecavity, the fixed wall or the fixed door or window as the case may be.There is a further requirement to ensure that the entire assembly is ascompact as possible. For instance, cavities of large width are difficultto make and result in loss of available living space in a room. Fordoors sliding past a wall or a fixed door or windows, it is generallyundesirable to have the track spaced too far from the wall as this looksunsightly and in the case of upper tracks is difficult to support.

In the situation of two doors which can slide relative to each other,such an assembly requires a channel divided into two longitudinal trackswith each door sliding in a respective track. Again, it is a requirementthat the doors do not strike each other when being moved.

Sliding partitions (such as sliding doors) containing rotatable louvresare also known. The louvres are mounted more or less in the conventionalmanner (i.e. pivotally mounted to a surround frame) and can be rotatedby an actuating mechanism. Examples of louvre assemblies are illustratedin Australian Patent Applications 50979/79, 68212/81, 80610/82, 33573/84and variations are illustrated in 68756/81 and 10847/83.

In each of these illustrated examples, the louvres when moved to an openposition, have portions which jut from the surround frame. Theseportions can either include the louvre blades themselves or a handle orlike member.

Clearly, if such arrangements are mounted to a sliding door, such a doorcannot be slid to an open position when the louvres are in their openpositions without the louvres striking and being damaged by the fixedwall, fixed door or window or the walls of a cavity.

However, there is a considerable demand for louvre doors havingrotatable louvres (as opposed to fixed louvres) especially in thetropical or semi-tropical areas. The rotating louvres provide a degreeof privacy and protection against weather.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

After considerable research and experimentation, we have now developed asliding partition containing rotatable louvres which is of a compactdesign and which, when the louvres are in their open position, does notinclude any projecting portion which can interfere with an adjacentsliding door. Thus, our sliding partition can be mounted more or less ina track which has hitherto been suitable only for sliding doors havingfixed louvres or no louvres at all.

We can achieve this by a particular louvre pivoting arrangement and aparticular placement and connection of the actuator which rotates thelouvres.

Therefore, in one form, the invention resides in a partition assemblycomprising a plurality of parallel longitudinally extending louvreblades, the blades having longitudinal side edges and transverse endedges, the transverse end edges being pivotally connected to a supportto allow the louvres to exhibit rotation, and actuating means to rotatethe louvre blades, the actuating means being disposed adjacent onetransverse edge of the louvre blades and being pivotally coupled to thetransverse edge.

The partition may comprise a sliding door or sliding window. We preferthe sliding partition to comprise a sliding shutter door.

The partition may comprise the louvres located within a surround frame.The louvres may comprise substantially the entire partition and may belocated within a pair of vertically extending side frame members and apair of horizontally extending top and bottom frame members. Typically,the support comprises one of the side frame members.

The louvre blades may extend horizontally and/or vertically although itis preferred that the blades extend horizontally.

The louvre blades may be manufactured from any number of suitablematerials and these may include wood, plastic, metal, glass orcombinations thereof. For sliding shutter doors having aestheticappearance, it is preferred that the louvre blades and the remainingportion of the sliding partition are manufactured from wood.

The partition may slide within a track. The track suitably comprises achannel member along which the sliding door may move. The channel membermay be divided into two longitudinal separate tracks thereby allowing apair of sliding doors to be fitted. The track may be of any particularwidth but typically may be between 30 to 100 mm with a preferred widthbeing approximately 40 mm.

It is preferred that the louvre blades are of a dimension such that whenin the open position they do not exceed the track width. Under thesecircumstances, a pair of sliding partitions may slide past each otherwithout striking.

The actuating means may comprise an elongate rod, bar, plate or likemember. The actuating means may be pivotally coupled to a respectivetransverse end of each louvre blade and preferably adjacent the junctureof the transverse end and the side edge. The actuating means may belocated within a rebate or recessed portion in the support and suitablydoes not extend from the support, or track when the louvre blades are inany desired position.

The actuating means may be provided with a handle which can be gripped.The handle may be of a folding or hinging type to be movable between anoutwardly extending use position and a folded substantially flushnon-use position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be illustrated with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which--

FIG. 1 is an perspective view of a sliding partition according to anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2a and 2b are plan section views of the partition of FIG. 1 alongthe line 2--2 showing the louvre blades in the closed and open positionsrespectively;

FIG. 3 is a further plan section view along the line 2--2 showing thearrangement of the handle;

FIGS. 4a and 4b are side views along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1, showingthe louvre blades in a closed and open position respectively.

BEST MODE

Referring to the figures and especially FIG. 1 there is illustrated apartition. The partition is in the form of a sliding wooden shutter doorand includes a plurality of horizontal louvre blades 11 which aresupported by a support 12 in the form of a vertically extending woodendoor stile. The actuating mechanism of the louvre blades 11 is concealedand therefore the shutter door itself has a pleasant and attractiveappearance and finish. A handle 13 is provided to enable the louvres tomove between the open and closed positions and the operation of handle13 will be described in greater detail with reference to the otherfigures.

Referring to FIGS. 2a and 2b, there is disclosed the mechanism by whichthe louvre blades can be moved between the closed and open positions.FIG. 2a illustrates the vertically extending stile 12 in plan and also ahorizontally extending bottom frame member 14. The width of frame member14 is typically about 40 mm but this is by no means to be considered asa restriction on the scope of the invention.

Each louvre blade 11 includes a longitudinal side edge 15, 16 and atransverse end edge 17.

Transverse end edge 17 is pivotally mounted to door stile 12 through afirst pivot pin 18 which extends through the centre of edge 17. In thismanner, the louvre blade 11 can pivot about pivot pin 18 between itsclosed and open positions.

The louvre blades 11 are caused to move by an actuating means in theform of a push stick 19. Push stick 19 can comprise a longitudinal rodformed of any suitable material such as ply. Push stick 19 locateswithin a recessed or rebated portion 20 within door stile 12 asillustrated in FIGS. 2a and 2b.

Push stick 19 is pivotally connected to louvre blade 11 through pivotpoint 21. Pivot point 21 is located between pivot point 18 and alongitudinal side edge of louvre blade 11.

To manipulate the louvre blades, push stick 19 is moved upwardly ordownwardly in door stile 12 which in turn causes rotation of the louvreblades.

For the purposes of obtaining a compact yet strong design, it ispreferred that the push stick is of an undulating design as illustratedin FIGS. 4a and 4b. The corresponding section of door stile 12 is of acomplimentary undulating configuration such that when the louvres are ina closed position as illustrated in FIG. 4a, there is substantial matingbetween push stick 19 and door stile 12 and when the louvres are rotatedto an open position as shown in FIG. 4b, push stick 19 is spaced fromdoor stile 12. The reason for the undulating design is to providegreater strength around the respective pivot points 18 and 19 which mayotherwise be difficult.

FIG. 3 illustrates a handle. 13 (see also FIG. 1) which can be used tomanipulate push stick 19. Handle 13 is foldable about a hinge 24 betweenan extended use position as shown in FIG. 1 and a folded non-useposition. In the latter position, the handle sits within a recess 25 toprovide the flush finish. Handle 13 is fitted to push stick 19 through afastener such as screw 26 and it can be seen in FIG. 1 that to operatepush stick 19, it is merely necessary to grip handle 13 (which can beprovided with eyelets to facilitate the gripping process), and then canbe pushed down to the lower part of recess 25 which in turn will rotatelouvres 11 to an open position.

Louvres 11 are dimensioned to have a width not exceeding that of thewidth of stile 12 or bottom frame member 14 and the folding handle 13also results in there being no portion of the shutter door whichprotrudes. Thus, this type of shutter door can be mounted to a track orrail and can be used as a normal glass or wooden door without fear ofdamage to the louvre blades 11 when the louvre blades are in an openposition.

Should a pair of sliding doors be used, the doors can be slid past eachother with minimal clearance thereby resulting in a good weathersealing.

It should be appreciated that changes and modifications may be made tothe embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

I claim:
 1. A partition assembly comprising a plurality of parallellongitudinally extending louver blades, the louver blades being housedwithin a surround frame, the louver blades having longitudinal sideedges and transverse end edges, the transverse end edges being pivotallyconnected to the surround frame to allow louvres to exhibit rotation,reciprocating actuating means to rotate the louvre blades, thereciprocating actuating means being disposed adjacent one transverse endedge of the louver blades and being pivotally coupled to the transverseend edge, the reciprocating actuating means located within a recessedportion in the surround frame, and a handle, the handle having a firstportion attached to the actuating means and a second portion hingedlyattached to the first portion and moveable between an extended positionwhere the second portion can be pushed upwardly or downwardly to rotatethe louver blades, and a folded position where the handle sits in arecess in the surround frame such that it does not protrude from thesurround frame.
 2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the actuating meansis a push rod.
 3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the push rod isconnected to each louver blade.
 4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein thesurround frame comprises a top, bottom, and support side members.
 5. Theassembly of claim 4 wherein the louver blades do not extend beyond thesurround frame when in open or closed position.
 6. The assembly of claim1 wherein the actuating means reciprocates along a rebate in thesurround frame.
 7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a transverse end edgeof the louver blades is pivotally connected to a support, the supportcomprising a side edge of the surround frame, and wherein the actuatingmeans and the support have projections and recesses which mate when thelouver blades are closed.
 8. A partition assembly comprising a pluralityof louver blades in a spaced side-by-side relationship, the louverblades being within a surround frame comprising top, bottom and sideopposed frame members, the louver blades having longitudinal side edgesand transverse end edges, the transverse end edges being pivotallyconnected to a support which comprises said opposed side frame membersof the surround frame to allow the louver blades to rotate between openand closed positions; a reciprocating actuating means in the form of apush rod which sits within a rebate provided in one of the side framemembers, the push rod being pivotally connected to the transverse endedge of each blade and adjacent a juncture of the transverse end edgeand the longitudinal side edge, and a handle, the handle having a firstportion attached to the actuating means and a second portion hingedlyattached to the first portion and moveable between an extended positionwhere the second portion can be pushed upwardly or downwardly to rotatethe louvre blades, and a folded position where the handle sits in arecess in the surround frame such that it does not protrude from thesurround frame, the support and actuating means having projections andrecesses which mate when the louver blades adopt the closed position. 9.The assembly of claim 8 wherein the support and actuating means have anedge which is sinusoidal and where the longitudinal side edges and thetransverse end edges mate together when the louver blades adopt theclosed position.
 10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the support hassemi-circular projections extending about a pivot point between thetransverse end edge and the surround frame, and the actuating means hascorresponding semi-circular recesses which mate with projections whenthe louver blades adopt the closed position.